1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operation button to be illuminated of an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic apparatus, such as digital camera, is often configured so that the operation buttons are all disposed on one face of the apparatus, and their associated switches are disposed on a single flexible board or a print board.
Moreover, for a purpose of distinguishing buttons or identifying a button that indicates a specific function, a surface of the operation button is illuminated using a light source such as LED, which is emitted from the rear side of the button.
The light source and the switch cannot both be placed right below the button. With regard to their positions, if the light source is not located in the center of the button, the button will not be evenly or efficiently illuminated. On the other hand, if the switch is not located in the center of the button, a satisfactory feeling of the button clicking cannot be obtained.
With the advancement in recent years of the technology for producing thin electronic apparatuses, a space between the button and the light source or the switch is becoming smaller, and the above described problem is becoming more prominent.
In small electronic apparatuses in recent years, if possible, the operation buttons tend to be situated in one place. The switches are frequently arranged on the flexible board or the print board, and disposed within a small space below a cover. In such a device, if a part of the operation buttons is configured to be illuminated, unevenness of illumination can easily occur if the LED is not located in the center of the button due to a space between the buttons, and because the board or flexible board on which the LED or the switches are mounted is so narrow. Moreover, there is a problem in that the amount of light decreases if the light originates from a light source placed away from the button. Moreover, because the tactile switch is thin, it has to be mounted on the large area so that the LED or the switch must be placed away from the center of the button.